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The Sesia Val Grande Geopark at the 2026 European Geoparks Conference
In Lappeenranta, Finland, three days of meetings, workshops and field trips in collaboration with European geoparks.
From 16 to 18 September 2026, the Sesia Val Grande Geopark took part in the 18th International European Geoparks Conference, hosted by the Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark in the city of Lappeenranta, Finland.
The conference is one of the events organised by the European Geoparks Network (EGN), the European network that brings together the continent’s UNESCO geoparks. The network comprises 118 geoparks across 28 European countries. Italy, with 12 UNESCO Global Geoparks, is one of the countries with the strongest representation in the network; the Sesia Val Grande Geopark is among them.
Three days of discussions between geoparks
The European Geoparks Conference takes place every two years in a different European geopark and provides an opportunity for representatives of the geoparks to meet and exchange views.
In Lappeenranta, the Sesia Val Grande Geopark took part, alongside representatives from Italian geoparks, in the various activities on the programme: thematic sessions, workshops, meetings and discussions focusing on the geoparks’ experiences in the fields of education, heritage promotion, communication and sustainable development.
Discovering the Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark
The conference also provided an opportunity to explore the Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark area first-hand, through a number of field trips.
These activities provided an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the geological history of the area, which has been profoundly shaped by the action of glaciers, and to discover some of the artefacts from the Stone Age, including archaeological sites, landscapes and rock art.
The programme also provided an opportunity to gain a closer insight into the Finnish education system, with visits to schools and universities and a discussion on educational and outreach activities linked to the local area.
The experiences also included a geocycling tour, alternating between cycling and rowing across the lake in a traditional wooden rowing boat. There were also opportunities to learn about the local culture, with traditional Finnish products and dishes being prepared and tasted on site.
The excursions also provided an opportunity to discover Lappeenranta’s natural and historical heritage, including its islands, lakeside landscapes and traces of the city’s history.
